Brother Improved Roads, Hilda McQuesten Dies

Miss Hilda Belle McQuesten, sister of the man who modernized Ontario's highways, died Wednesday at the Downtown Convalescent Centre. She was in her 90's.

Miss McQuesten was the sister of the late T.B. McQuesten who, as minister of highways for Ontario in the Hepburn administration, was responsible for the construction of the Queen Elizabeth Way.1 He also had a part in organizing the Niagara Parks Commission and the building of Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens, and many city projects.

Miss McQuesten had lived with her brother, the Rev. Calvin McQuesten,2 in the family home, "Whitehern", next to the city hall.

Her Father was Hamilton lawyer and industrialist Isaac Baldwin McQuesten, who took over "Whitehern" after the death of his father. There were five other children.

Miss McQuesten is survived by her brother [Calvin], who still lives at "Whitehern".

She spent most of her life looking after the family home. Her outside activities were devoted mainly to MacNab Street Presbyterian Church with which her family has been associated for more than 100 years.

Miss McQuesten was buried today in Hamilton Cemetery, after a funeral service at the Dodsworth and Brown Funeral home.3

1 Thomas McQuesten was Hamilton's MPP from 1934 until 1943 and was given multiple cabinet assignments by Premier Hepburn. Tom supported Hepburn during his years in office which brought him into direct conflict with Prime Minister King and possibly costing him his bid for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1943. See W-MCP7-1.264.

2 Calvin and Hilda did not appear to be terribly close in their later years, at least not as described by Calvin. In a letter to Dr. Eric Arthur of the University of Toronto, Calvin describes a verbal altercation over a coat button in which Hilda supposedly told Calvin "[y]ou make me sick" (Box 04-113).

Calvin was generally a mild-mannered man who enjoyed nature, was an avid bird watcher and, whenever possible, went canoeing despite a mild disability which caused weakness in his left arm. After being ordained a Presbyterian minister, he moved through various parts of the country including parts of Saskatchewan and Quebec, but he eventually moved back home to Hamilton and where he worked at the Mountain Sanatorium to bring comfort to those suffering from tuberculosis. He very likely took on this particular role in loving memory of his sister Ruby who had died from tuberculosis. Please see Calvin's biography for more details.

Copyright 2002 Whitehern Historic House and Garden
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